Pressure rollers for chenille machines

ABSTRACT

An improved apparatus for the production of chenille yarn wherein the pressure rollers which pinch the uncut yarn immediately above the cutting blade are rotatively mounted on spring biased blocks which are arranged to ride within tracks in longitudinal, horizontal alignment. The tracks act to prevent transverse or vertical motion of the pressure rollers and are provided with inwardly positioned, adjustable stops against which the blocks abut to maintain the pressure rollers in precise longitudinal alignment during all periods of use.

llnite 1- tent 1 Gross Dec. 30, 1975 PRESSURE ROLLERS FOR CHENILLEMACHINES [76] lnventor: Alexander Gross, 2590 W. Maple Ave,Feasterville, Pa. 19047 [22] Filed: Jan. 8, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 431,746

[52] US. Cl 226/176; 226/187 [51] llnt. Cl. B65h 17/22 [58] Field ofSearch 57/24; 226/176, 177, 181, 226/186, 187

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,185,260 5/l9l6 Stine226/177 2,576,430 11/1951 Weller 57/24 3,297,223 l/1967 Bueker 226/194 X3,370,804 2/1968 Peyton 226/176 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS210,378 7/1960 Austria 226/176 Primary ExaminerRichard A. SchacherAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Weiser, Stapler & Spivak [57] ABSTRACT Animproved apparatus for the production of chenille yarn wherein thepressure rollers which pinch the uncut yarn immediately above thecutting blade are rotatively mounted on spring biased blocks which arearranged to ride within tracks in longitudinal, horizontal alignment.The tracks act to prevent transverse or vertical motion of the pressurerollers and are provided with inwardly positioned, adjustable stopsagainst which the blocks abut to maintain the pressure rollers inprecise longitudinal alignment during all periods of use.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US, Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet 1 of23,929,268

FIG,

US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 Sheet20f2 3,929,26

PRESSURE ROLLERS FOR CHENILLE MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thepresent invention relates generally to the field of chenille yarnproducing apparatus, and more particu* larly, is directed to an improvedmethod of mounting the pressure rollers relative to the cutting blade.

This invention is an improvement over the apparatus for production ofchenille yarn as disclosed in my copending application, Ser. No. 324,566filed Jan. 18, 1973, entitled Improvements in Chenille ProductionMachines and the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,464 datedDec. I1, 1973, entitled Apparatus for the Production of Chenille. Themachines disclosed in said application Ser. No. 324,566 and in US. Pat.No. 3,777,464 include brass pressure rollers which are positionedimmediately below the flyer and above the reciprocating cutting razor topinch the warp and wrapped weft threads together and to position theyarns relative to the reciprocating razor to produce even cutting of thewrapped threads by the razor.

These pressure rollers have caused prior workers in the art manyproblems in that in all prior art machines, the pressure rollers arejournalled on pivotal arms which were spring biased to urge the rollerstogether immediately above the reciprocating razor. Due to the geometryof the prior pivotal arm systems, unequal adjustment could readilyoccur, such as might be caused by unequal spring bias or simple initialmisalignment, to push one roller higher than the other to causemisalignment of the yarn relative to the razor. Further, one or bothpivotal arms could transversely work out of alignment due to a looseningof the connection between the spring biased arms and the machine frameitself. Any misalignment, either vertical, longitudinal or transverse,of the pressure rollers would immediately affect the quality of thefinished product. Any serious degree of misalignment would cause threadbreakage and all of the associated loss of time attendant to institutethe necessary corrective measures. Further, any significant over bias onthe part of one spring on a pivotal arm could cause the associatedpressure roller to contact and push against the reciprocating razor.This could either result in razor wear or in physically knocking therazor out of alignment to thereby prevent proper function of the device.Any angular cocking of the reciprocating razor will result in razorbearing wear, unequal severing of the chenille yarn and undue wear ofthe razor itself. Because of the nature of operation of a chenilleproduction machine, precise pressure roller alignment at all times is anecessity, and this particular construction has caused most of theoperating difficulties in prior art machines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to animproved pressure roller apparatus for chenille yarn machines, and moreparticularly, is directed to improved pressure roller mounting includingmounting blocks which ride in opposed, aligned horizontal tracks tomaintain the pressure rollers in precise longitudinal and transversealignment during all periods of operation.

The present invention includes a pressure roller mounting apparatuswherein the pressure rollers are mounted on blocks and have rotarymotion thereabout. The blocks ride in horizontally aligned, opposedtracks and are spring biased toward each other to maintain the 2pressure rollers in tangential, aligned contact. The blocks are machinedto include a rack, which meshes with a cooperating pinion. The pinion isrotatively driven by a spring biased arm to continuously urge the blockstoward each other. The horizontally opposed tracks are each providedwith inwardly positioned, adjustable stop means to limit the inwardtravel of each of the blocks to thereby permit precise positioning ofthe pressure rollers relative to each other, which is not dependent upona plurality of variable mechanical elements. The blocks tightly ridewithin the tracks in a longitudinal direction and are carried within thetracks in a manner to absolutely prevent any transverse movement ofeither the block or its associated pressure roller. By utilizing themovable blocks and the horizontally aligned tracks of the presentinvention, it is substantially impossible for the pressure rollers towork out of longitudinal or transverse alignment. The present systemeliminates all of the problems previously associated with the pressurerollers of the prior art machines It is therefore an object of thepresent invention to provide an improved apparatus for the production ofchenille of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelmounting for pressure rollers including a pair of horizontally opposed,aligned tracks and a pair of opposed blocks which ride within thetracks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelmounting apparatus for pressure rollers incorporating a pair ofcooperating mountingblocks which are carried within horizontally opposedtracks, said tracks being urged together continuously by spring biasedarms, said blocks being maintained apart by action of an adjustable stopwhich is provided at the inward end of each tracks.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelmounting for the pressure rollers of a chenille yarn production machinewhich includes means to precisely longitudinally align the pressurerollers and means to prevent any transverse motion of the pressurerollers relative to each other or to the machine.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelmounting for pressure rollers which includes block means which ridewithin track means, the block means and track means maintaining thepressure rollers in precise vertical alignment, horizontal alignment andtransverse alignment under all conditions of operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novelmounting for pressure rollers that is rugged in construction, precise inoperation and trouble free when in use.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had byreferring to the following description and claims of the preferredembodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a partial, front elevationalview of a chenille yarn production machine showing the novel pressurebearing mountings in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, detail, front elevational view of the pressureroller mountings, with the lint covers and one pressure roller removedto expose interior con- 3 struction details.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pressure roller mounting system,with the lint covers removed.

FIG. 4 is an exploded, perspective view of the pressure roller mountingsystem.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Althoughspecific terms are used in the following description, for the sake ofclarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particularstructure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings andare not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in FIG. 1 a portion of a chenilleyarn production machine which conventionally employs a pair ofcooperating pressure rollers 12, 14. The pressure rollers are maintainedin spring biased tangential contact immediately above a conventional,reciprocating razor 16 and act to pinch the endless steel bands 18,20and the associated warp threads (not shown) and wrapped filler yarns(also not shown) together conventionally to facilitate yarn cutting bythe razor 16. The endless bands 18, 20 conventionally turn about therespective bottom idler pulleys 22, 24 which are illustrated forpurposes of association. The operation of the remainder of the apparatusis fully described in said application Ser. No. 324,566 and US. Pat. No.3,777,464 and so need not be further described at this time.

As best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the pressure rollers 12, 14 mount onrespective horizontally slidable blocks 26, 28 and are rotativelyarranged on suitable shafts 30, 32 and conventional bushings 34, 36.Each block 26, 28 is provided with an inwardly positioned opening 38, 40which is sized to receive and retain a respective shaft 30, 32. It willbe noted that the rollers 12, 14 have absolutely no transverse movementrelative to the shafts 30, 32 or the blocks 26, 28 and so there is nopossibility of transverse misalignment. The blocks 26, 28 are generallyrectangularly formed in cross sectional configuration and are arrangedfor horizontal, opposed, sliding movement within a pair oflongitudinally aligned tracks 42, 44 as hereinafter more fully setforth. The tracks 42, 44 each have a cross sectional configuration toreceive a block 26, 28 in sliding engagement therein in a relativelyclose tolerance to prevent unwanted transverse, vertical or longitudinalmovement of the rollers 12, 14. In order to urge the respective blocksinwardly along the tracks 42, 44 each block is upwardly machined toprovide a rack 46, 48 for cooperative action with a pinion 50, 52 in themanner hereinafter more fully set forth.

Preferably, a single casting 54 is provided with the tracks 42, 44integrally formed therein. The casting 54 is secured to the machineframe 56 in well known manner, such as by employing nuts and bolts (notshown). Respective right and left sockets 58, 60 are formed in thecasting 54 and communicate with the tracks 42, 44. The sockets terminaterearwardly in bearings 62, 64 and rotatively receive the pinions 50, 52.As illustrated in the drawings, the left and right pinions 50, 52respectively mesh with the left and right racks 46, 48 formed in theblocks 26, 28 in a manner to urge the blocks longitudinally along theirassociated tracks 42, 44 as the pinions are rotated. Each pinion shaft66, 68 (FIG. 4) is rotatively carried within a bearing 62, 64 andincludes a rearwardly positioned socket 70, 72 which receives anoperating arm 74, 76 therein for pinion operation. As best seen in FIGS.1 and 2, a spring 78,80 biases between the end of each operating arm 74,76 and a portion of the machine frame 56 in a manner to continuouslyurge the left pinion 50 in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated bythe arrow 82 and the right pinion 52 in a clockwise direction asindicated by the arrow 84 (FIG. 2). In this manner, the springs 78,functioning through the operating arms 74, 76, continuously bias therespective left and right blocks 26, 28 toward each other along thetracks 42, 44. Adjustable stops 86, 88 affix to the casting 54 byemploying threaded fasteners 90, 92 which turn into the drilled andtapped openings 94, 96. Each stop 86, 88 is angularly formed to providea horizontal adjustment leg 98, and a stop leg 102, 104 which dependvertically downwardly therefrom. The adjustment legs 98, 100 are eachprovided with an elongated adjustment slot 106, 108 which slots extendin a longitudinal direction. Each threaded fastener 90, 92 insertsthrough a respective slot 106, 108 and when tightened, securely affixesthe stop 86, 88 to the casting. The depending stop legs 98, 100respectively inwardly align with an inward terminus 110, 112 of a track42, 44 to thereby provide an inward limit of travel for the respectiveblocks 26, 28. Thus, the exact inward limit of longitudinal travelwithin a track 42, 42 can be accurately and permanently set for eachblock 26, 28 by adjusting the positions of the stops 86, 88.

As best seen in FIG. 4, each track 42, 44 terminates rearwardly in asolid back 114, 116, which act as a positive limit to possibletransverse movement on the part of the blocks 26, 28 and the associatedpressure rollers 12, 14. The tracks 42, 44 then serve to eliminate allpossibility of either vertical or transverse movement of the pressurerollers 12, 14. The only adjustment possible is a longitudinaladjustment which is made by adjusting the position of the stops 86, 88.In this manner, the precise inward position of each pressure roller 12,14 can be permanently established to position the nip 118 which isdefined between the rollers 12, 14 in vertical alignment with thecutting razor 16. It will be noted that the springs 78, 80 function tocontinuously bias the blocks 26, 28 into contact with the depending stoplegs 102, 104 to thereby assure precise alignment of the pressurerollers 12, 14 at all times. Lint covers 120, 122 cover the opposedpairs of blocks and tracks 26, 42 and 28, 44 to unify the constructionand to prevent lint from the wrapped yarn cutting operation frominterfering with the operation of the mechanism. Although I havedescribed the present invention with reference to the particularembodiments therein set forth, it is understood that the presentdisclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerouschanges in the details of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope ofthe invention should not be limited by the foregoing specification, butrather only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

1 claim: 1. In a pressure roller system containing a left roller and aright roller, the combination of A left and right block means to eachrespectively carry one said roller, 1 each roller having rotative motionrelative to its associated block means; B left track means to slidinglyreceive the left block means,

1 said left block means having longitudinal movement within the lefttrack means,

2 said left track means including means to prevent transverse andvertical movement of the left block means,

3 said left track means including left stop means to limit the inward,longitudinal movement of the associated block means;

C right track means to slidingly receive the right block means,

l said right block means having longitudinal movement within the righttrack means,

2 said right track means including means to prevent transverse andvertical movement of the right block means;

3 said right track means being provided with right stop means to limitthe inward, longitudinal movement of the associated block means;

D left and right spring biased means to continuously respectively urgethe left and right block means toward each other, whereby the pressurerollers are urged into tangential contact; and

E the left and right stop means having longitudinal adjustment means tovary the inward limit of travel of the left and right block means.

2. The pressure roller system of claim 1 wherein the stop means eachcomprise an adjustment leg and a stop leg, the longitudinal adjustmentmeans being positioned in the adjustment leg.

3. The pressure roller system of claim 2 wherein the adjustment meanscomprise an elongated slot, said direction of elongation extending inlongitudinal alignment with the track means.

4. The pressure roller system of claim 3 wherein each stop leg inwardlyintersects the longitudinal extension of the associated track means,said stop leg being contacted by the block means.

5. The pressure roller system of claim 1 wherein the respective left andright block means and the left and right track means have substantiallythe same cross sectional configuration, the said track means being sizedto receive the block means in sliding engagement and in close tolerance.

6. The pressure roller system of claim 5 wherein the cross sectionalconfiguration is rectangular.

7. The pressure roller system of claim 1 wherein the spring biased meanseach include a spring, and means to transmit the bias of the spring tothe associated block means.

8. The pressure roller system of claim 7 wherein each means to transmitincludes a rack and a pinion.

9. The pressure roller system of claim 8 wherein each rack is providedin the associated block means.

10. The pressure roller system of claim wherein each means to transmitincludes an operating arm, said operating arm connecting to the springand to the pinion, whereby the bias of the spring acts to continuouslyrotate the pinion.

1. In a pressure roller system containing a left roller and a rightroller, the combination of A left and right block means to eachrespectively carry one said roller, 1 each roller having rotative motionrelative to its associated block means; B left track means to slidinglyreceive the left block means, 1 said left block means havinglongitudinal movement within the left track means, 2 said left trackmeans including means to prevent transverse and vertical movement of theleft block means, 3 said left track means including left stop means tolimit the inward, longitudinal movement of the associated block means; Cright track means to slidingly receive the right block means, 1 saidright block means having longitudinal movement within the right trackmeans, 2 said right track means including means to prevent transverseand vertical movement of the right block means; 3 said right track meansbeing provided with right stop means to limit the inward, longitudinalmovement of the associated block means; D left and right spring biasedmeans to continuously respectively urge the left and right block meanstoward each other, whereby the pressure rollers are urged intotangential contact; and E the left and right stop means havinglongitudinal adjustment means to vary the inward limit of travel of theleft and right block means.
 2. The pressure roller system of claim 1wherein the stop means each comprise an adjustment leg and a stop leg,the longitudinal adjustment means being positioned in the adjustmentleg.
 3. The pressure roller system of claim 2 wherein the adjustmentmeans comprise an elongated slot, said direction of elongation extendingin longitudinal alignment with the track means.
 4. The pressure rollersystem of claim 3 wherein each stop leg inwardly intersects thelongitudinal extension of the associated track means, said stop legbeing contacted by the block means.
 5. The pressure roller system ofclaim 1 wherein the respective left and right block means and the leftand right track means have substantially the same cross sectionalconfiguration, the said track means being sized to receive the blockmeans in sliding engagement and in close tolerance.
 6. The pressureroller system of claim 5 wherein the cross sectional configuration isrectangular.
 7. The pressure roller system of claim 1 wherein the springbiased means each include a spring, and means to transmit the bias ofthe spring to the associated block means.
 8. The pressure roller systemof claim 7 wherein each means to transmit includes a rack and a pinion.9. The pressure roller system of claim 8 wherein each rack is providedin the associated block means.
 10. The pressure roller system of claim 9wherein each means to transmit includes an operating arm, said operatingarm connecting to the spring and to the pinion, whereby the bias of thespring acts to continuously rotate the pinion.